Nov 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated in parliament today that under the good governance government the Treasury will be brought under the control of the parliament and remove the debt burden of the people.

The Prime Minister said that during the previous government the parliament came under the Treasury. However under the present regime both the Treasury and Central Bank come under the parliament.

He said the government owes Rs. three trillion of debt and all that debt will be paid during the time of the good governance government.

The Prime Minister responding to a question raised by MP Vasudeva Nanayakkara pointed out that this government has appointed opposition members to all the committees including the COPE and budget committee but there was such opportunity for the opposition MPs during the previous UPFA government under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

He said more powers have been entrusted to the parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE). In addition a budget committee has been appointed in parliament.

The Premier pointed out that the chairman of COPE is an opposition member and half of the members are also opposition members. He said such powers to the opposition were not granted in the past, he said.

"Nobody was given anything in the previous regime. All decisions were taken by the Secretary to Treasury and the Governor of the Central Bank," he noted.

The Premier also pointed out that the during this administration, the Samurdhi allowance has been increased, the salaries of state employees have been increased and 13 years of education has been made compulsory, while the fuel prices have been controlled for the people.